McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 1997

Built on the ruins of earlier cities, the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan founded Shahjahanabad in 1639. Cradling a fort, the city expended itself down the social/housing strata to a wall. This wall not only brought coherence to any one group but provided an interaction amongst them. These cohesive units formed neighborhoods called mohallahs, marked by religious, economic and social liaisons, their identity legitimizing the power of certain individuals and institutions. The Palace-Complex formed the pinnacle in this urban hierarchy. This thesis shows the importance of the Palace-Complex and how the British occupied it after the 1857 Sepoy Rebellion in an attempt …  Read more

Vicissitudes is a composition for orchestra with a duration of approximately 13$ sp prime$ 30$ sp{ prime prime}$. The main idea of the piece, the subdivision of the orchestra into small soloistic groups along with larger ensembles, was inspired by the principles of one of the Baroque forms, namely the Concerto Grosso.  Read more

A model was developed to account for the static elastic behaviour of the lung tissue strip in terms of distributions of collagen and elastin fibers. Distributions of collagen fiber lengths and elastin fiber stiffnesses were determined by fitting the model to data from dog lung tissue strips. These distributions followed 1/f power-laws for more than 95% of the data. Computer simulations of two dimensional tissue strip models with 1/f distributions of collagen fiber lengths also predicted realistic stress-strain curves. The simulations illustrated the gradual development of geometric and stress heterogeneity throughout the tissue as the collagen fibers were recruited during …  Read more

The following generalization of Hardy's inequality is due to I. Klemes (6) (1993); "There is a constant $c>0$ such that for any function $f in L sb1$(T), eqalign{ sum sbsp{j=1}{ infty} left(4 sp{-j} sum sb{4 sp{j-1} le n<4 sp{j}} vert f(n) vert sp2 right) sp{1/2} le c Vert f Vert sb1+c sum sbsp{j=1}{ infty} cr qquad qquad qquad left(4 sp{-j} sum sb{4 sp{j-1} le n<4 sp{j}} vert f(-n) vert sp2 right) sp{1/2}.'' cr} The proof was based on an elegant construction, (L. Pigno and B. Smith (11)), of a certain bounded function whose Fourier coefficients have desired properties. The chief …  Read more

The Kenya Coast is populated by Africans, Arab-descendants, Indians and Europeans. As part of the Indian Ocean trading network, the predominantly Muslim Coast is an unusually rich site for investigating the historical interface of distinct medical systems---Islamic, ayurvedic and indigenous---which gave rise to an ever-evolving situation of 'medical plurality'. This thesis addresses medical knowledge, practice and authority on the Coast from the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. The Coast is significant because of the variety of populations which inhabit the area, the early development of Muslim institutions for learning, and the Coast's isolation from white settler-dominated central Kenya, which allowed its …  Read more

Leukotriene (LT) A4 hydrolase is a bifunctional metalloenzyme which catalyzes the conversion of LTA4 into the proinflammatory LTB4. The genomic cloning of leukotriene A4 hydrolase demonstrates that the gene is greater than 35 kb, has 19 exons, and the zinc binding domain is divided between exons 10 and 11. The chromosomal localization of the gene is 12q22 and by southern blot analysis is a single copy gene. The gene has two putative xenobiotic response elements. The relevance of these elements may prove important since the genomic cloning of soluble epoxide hydrolase, which is involved in detoxification of xenobiotics, has a …  Read more

Macdonald, R. A. (Supervisor)  Read more

A method for ranking efficient decision making units in Data Envelopment Analysis is suggested. The method uses parametric programming and calculates "rigidity" of efficient units relative to perturbations of input and output data. Theoretical results are applied to 108 North American university libraries. The efficiency of the libraries is determined by the Charnes-Cooper-Rhodes tests. The radius of rigidity approach is applied to efficient libraries. In particular, we focus on the McGill University library and compare its efficiency to other libraries using different data sets.  Read more

Phase formation and transformation in mechanically alloyed iron-rich Sm-Fe-C is the principal subject of this thesis. Ternary Sm-Fe-C is a complicated system. The strategy was therefore to start with a binary system. A series of mechanically alloyed R$ sb2$Fe$ sb{17}$ powders were investigated for a better understanding of both the Sm-Fe alloy system in general and the Sm$ sb2$Fe$ sb{17}$ compound in particular. The objective was to learn (1) what is the steady-state in the mechanically alloyed R$ sb2$Fe$ sb{17},$ and (2) how the 2-17 structure is formed from the mechanically alloyed precursors. Phase formation and transformation in the mechanically …  Read more

SarCNU, a novel chloroethylnitrosourea analogue, is transported by the extraneuronal uptake2 transporter (uptake2). SK-MG-1 human glioma cells are sensitive to SarCNU cytotoxicity and express uptake 2 whereas SKI-1 glioma cells have no detectable transporter, and are relatively resistant. To clone uptake2, we detected differences in RNA expression utilizing differential display. With differential display, we detected a novel sequence expressed in SK-MG-1 cells but not in SKI-1 cells, having 62% homology to an expressed sequence tag clone from human brain, and could be a partial sequence of uptake2. In the treatment of SF-295 glioma xenografts in athymic mice, SarCNU had superior …  Read more

A two-dimensional hydrodynamic model is used to simulate the flow field and the concentration distribution of a conservative tracer in shallow basins. A series of numerical test are performed to evaluate different numerical schemes and problems which arise for the use of the Second Moment Method (SMM) in diffusion dominated flows are reported. The results of the basin simulations are compared with experimental data. The model predicts the location and the size of the dead zones, bypassing, recirculation, and local concentrations within the basin. The positioning of the inlet and outlet, and the presence of baffles are important parameters for …  Read more

For many decades, tetrachloroethylene (PCE) has been used as a dry-cleaning solvent and as a degreaser. Owing to its improper storage and disposal, PCE has become one of the most widely detected pollutant in groundwaters. PCE has been classified as a potential threat to the environment and as a possible carcinogen to humans. It has been shown that PCE can be completely dechlorinated to non-toxic compounds under anaerobic conditions. In this study, the PCE treatment efficiency of two anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBRs) were investigated and compared under different hydraulic loads. Granular activated carbon (GAC) and biolite were used as …  Read more

Following the creation of Ikatan Cendekiawan Muslim Indonesia ICMI, Indonesian Muslim Intellectual Association) on December 6, 1990, an event which had shaken the Indonesian political scene, discussion of the relation and affinity between Islam and the state once again came to the fore. The controversy surrounding ICMI's establishment revolved around two basic questions, namely, whether it was a political maneuver by the New Order government, or a true manifestation of the Muslim community's aspirations. The resulting situation prompted a large number of responses from people of various backgrounds. Support, opposition and neutrality towards ICMI arose during its five year existence …  Read more

Chlorisondamine (CHL) is a nicotinic antagonist that blocks for several weeks most of the centrally-mediated behavioural effects of nicotine. However, the mechanism for the long-lasting action of CHL in vivo and the brain regions it targets are largely unknown. We hypothesized that the persistent blockade produced by CHL may result from uptake by neuronal terminals, followed by retrograde transport and accumulation of CHL (or metabolite) in the perikarya. The hypothesis was tested in rats, using locomotor tests to measure nicotinic antagonism within mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons. Results did not entirely support the hypothesis. Our hypothesis also predicted that CHL would block …  Read more

Economic integration and foreign direct investment were adopted by developing countries particularly in Africa, as strategies for economic development. For these countries, economic integration became not only a tariff issue, but a strategy for development; hence the term "developmental regionalism". This thesis is a study of the concept of developmental regionalism in West Africa. It concentrates on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which was formed in 1975. It is argued that as a strategy for development, the ECOWAS integration effort was inadequate because of undue reliance on tariff reductions--- so called "negative integration" measures. It is suggested …  Read more

The influence of high-strength concrete on the seismic response of reinforced concrete exterior beam-column-slab subassemblages was investigated by the testing of two full-scale specimens. The specimens, one constructed with normal-strength concrete and the other constructed with high-strength concrete, were designed as ductile moment-resisting frames such that the flexural strengths of the beams were similar. The increase in concrete strength allowed for some reduction of member sizes. The use of high-strength concrete for seismic design is restricted by the Canadian Standard, CSA A23.3-94, to members with a concrete compressive strength, f$ sbsp{ rm c}{ prime}$ less than or equal to 55 …  Read more

The 60th Royal American Regiment was raised in an attempt to combine the qualities of a frontiersman and a trained soldier. This paper presents an in-depth look at the conditions which revealed a need to meet the challenges of frontier warfare. The specialized training, outfitting, and tactical education of this regiment, its performance in battle situations, and its ensuing impact on training and tactics throughout the army are all considered. The primary focus of this paper is the Royal American Regiment's performance in North America in the battles of the Seven Year's War, and above all its decisive involvement in …  Read more

The research presented in this thesis is formulated within the Conditional Observer and Controller Logic (COCOLOG) framework. COCOLOG is a family of first order languages and associated theories for the design and implementation of controllers for discrete event systems (DESs). The opening part of this thesis presents a high level formulation of COCOLOG called Macro COCOLOG. First, we present the theory of Macro COCOLOG languages, a framework for the enhancement of the original COCOLOG language via definitional constructions. Second, we present the theory of Macro COCOLOG actions, a framework for the enhancement of COCOLOG allowing the utilisation of hierarchically aggregated …  Read more

The dynamic optimization proposed in this work uses a linear programming technique to maximize the quantity of job orders processed on the machines at each constant job-mix stage. Priority factors guide the sequential allocation of partial and complete setups by ranking job/machine combinations in order of processing performance and capacity to meet due dates. The job allocation is governed by an algorithm which constitutes the backbone of the dispatching software that was developed and used to solve the examples presented in this thesis. Priority factors offer an effective mean of guiding the selection of setups by ranking job/machine combinations by …  Read more

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the topoi found in various writings on the Indian subcontinent, which depict Muslim mystics, the Sufis, as responsible for the conversion, forced or peaceful, of non-Muslim Indians to Islam. Our analysis of various historiographical traditions produced in the Subcontinent between the eleventh and the twentieth centuries, will show that this image of Sufis qua missionaries is more the result of socio-political considerations (legitimization of imperial order; posthumous images of Sufis in the eyes of different folk audiences, etc.) than the reflection of historical reality. This thesis also examines the processes, most of …  Read more

From 1868 to 1978, the Dupuis Freres department store serviced the French Montreal community from its headquarters on St. Catherine Street, east of Saint Laurent. This thesis looks at the management strategies of Dupuis Freres through its employee newspaper, Le Duprex, from 1926 to 1946, and then at their collapse with the Dupuis Freres strike in 1952. The Dupuis Freres management retained the loyalty of its employees by using a combination of paternalism and welfare capitalism. The company supported a union, organized leisure activities, provided sales incentives and rewarded loyalty financially and socially. In addition, the store integrated its French …  Read more

The Self-Cycling Fermentation (SCF) technique and an agar diffusion assay were used to follow the production of lipase by Candida bombicola. Repeatable lipase production profiles were determined for two different media. Each medium gave a considerably different profile. When the broth contained oil, 60 to 80% of the lipase activity remained after freezing. All activity was lost when the broth did not contain oil. The lipase was found to be associated with the cell. Up to a certain concentration of lipase, the presence of agar caused the lipase to disassociate from the cell and diffuse into the agar. Beyond this …  Read more

Although many historians consider Joseph II's campaign of 1788 against the Ottoman Turks a failure, no one has yet provided a thorough account of it. This study attempts to put something into the void. Based mostly on original sources found in the Kriegsarchiv (War Archives) in Vienna, it examines the campaign from the perspective of Joseph II. The first chapter tries to explain how Joseph became involved in a conflict with the Porte. The second chapter covers the period of February-July 1788, when Joseph postponed his offensive on Belgrade until the fall and waited in Zemun on the defensive. The …  Read more

The problem of blast initiation of gaseous detonation has been studied by focusing on the onset of detonation, i.e. the development of a pressure pulse during the quasi-steady period which leads to an abrupt acceleration to form a self-sustained detonation. This study has been carried out by numerical simulation of the one-dimensional Euler equations in a planar geometry. For the chemical kinetics model, a single-step Arrhenius law was assumed. It was found that for the critical energy required to initiate a detonation, the onset starts with the development of a pressure pulse between the reaction front and the shock front. …  Read more

This thesis is a comparative study between Michelangelo Buonarroti's ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and John Milton's Paradise Lost. The parallels discussed arise out of the Renaissance humanism shared by both of these artists and expressed their works of art. Beginning with Michelangelo, I will establish the relation of Renaissance humanism to the Sistine Chapel ceiling decoration and define Michelangelo's specific conception of the theories associated with this movement. Subsequently, the same critical approach will be applied to Milton's Paradise Lost, which will be revealed to be notably humanistic despite its positioning at the end of the Renaissance in …  Read more

The Freedom-7 Haptic Hand Controller is a high performance haptic device developed jointly between McGill and MPB Technologies. This thesis discusses previous work in the field of haptic devices, the research into the bonding of metals. to composites, optimization procedures for composite laminates, and includes a brief overview of human haptic capabilities. The discussion includes the analysis process used to design a composite box-beam structure to replace one link of the translation stage of the hand controller, and to determine the optimal bond characteristics for the joining of a small diameter composite tube to a metal end fitting. Iterative finite …  Read more

This thesis is an exploratory examination of the role of horticultural therapy with institutionalized older people. Chapter one considers the demographic trends which are taking place in Canada with respect to the aging population. The need for service provision is discussed from a social work perspective. The traditional medical and custodial models of care in institutions are critiqued and the psychosocial model, which incorporates a consideration of 'higher' needs such as quality of life and attainment of meaning, is presented as an alternative. Chapter two provides an introduction to horticulture as therapy and includes a literature review and comprehensive history …  Read more

Canada's post-Confederation economy was marked by a search for capital that was used to complete large infrastructure projects such as the Canadian Pacific Railway. Since Canada's small tax base could not pay for the transcontinental railway, financiers in the City of London were the first choice as a source for this capital by the Canadian government. As P. J. Cain and A. G. Hopkins explained in British Imperialism: Innovation and Expansion, however, the ability to tap this resource was dependent on the gentlemanly credentials of the government's representative because the City's social culture was dominated by ideals of "propertied wealth", …  Read more

This study describes the factors influencing user satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the quality and delivery of services at by the Montreal Association for the Blind (MAB). It involved the development of a 119-item questionnaire which was administered to a stratified sample of 60 users served by four organizational multidisciplinary teams. The data were collected through users' records via the MAB computer data base and face-to-face structured interviews. High levels of satisfaction were reported, both overall and for individual aspects of services; highest for the Early Intervention Program and lowest for User Empowerment. Older respondents were significantly more satisfied than younger …  Read more

The behaviour of slab-column connections in flat plates is investigated. The first part of this thesis discusses six two-way slab-column specimens which were designed such that they would fail in punching shear. The parameters investigated were the placement of fibre-reinforced concrete in the slab and the concentration of slab reinforcement around the column. The effects of these parameters on the punching shear capacity, negative moment cracking, and stiffness of the two-way slab specimens were investigated. The second part of this thesis investigates the effects of the same parameters on six slab-column specimens and six column specimens without the surrounding slab …  Read more

The southwestern region of the Manicouagan reservoir occupies the structurally uppermost position in the Parautochthonous belt, in the Grenville province, in eastern Quebec. The region consists principally of well banded grey gneisses composed essentially of plagioclase, quartz and biotite. An assemblage of rocks consisting of dolomitic marbles, quartzites, iron formations and pelites, occurs throughout the region. This assemblage can be correlated to rocks in the tectonic foreland to the north of the Grenville Front, that were deposited on the continental margin of Laurentia during the Paleo-Proterozoic. The east-striking, and moderately south-dipping, Utishku fault zone runs through the middle of the …  Read more

Much of the success of the Allied Peninsular Army was due to the effectiveness of Wellington's supply system. The ability of Wellington to keep his army supplied presented him with an enormous advantage over the French. This paper examines the role logistics played in deciding the outcome of the war in the Peninsula as well as detailing the needs of the troops. The primary focus of this paper is the procurement, transport, and payment of supplies for the use of the Allied Army during the Peninsular War. Wellington's ability to consistently defeat French forces despite a substantial numerical disadvantage presents …  Read more

The poetry written by combat veterans and other witnesses to the Vietnam War is a testament to what they saw and felt in Southeast Asia. Through their poetry they build 'monuments' to their traumatic experience, piecing together memories in order to heal themselves and teach future generations about the horrors of Vietnam. These poems function in much the same way as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., both poem and Memorial requiring the effort of the 'reader' in order to propagate the legacy of the Vietnam War. By bearing witness to the Vietnam experience, the poem and the Vietnam …  Read more

The informal sector plays a very important role in developing countries. It acts as a stabilizer, and within this the urban poor find the necessary strategies for their survival. Home based commercial activities are a part of these strategies. They provide households with an additional income and open opportunities for those who can not qualify for jobs within the "formal" workforce. The extraordinary abundance and variety of home based commercial activities are recorded in the case study. The study registers all the home based commercial activities existing in an informal settlement within the city of Guadalajara, Mexico. Emphasis is placed …  Read more

While the study of non-composite castellated beams have received much attention, very little work has been done on composite castellated beams. The effect of the composite concrete slab is to significantly increase the flexural resistance of a steel section; it is however uncertain what effect this will have on the shear resistance. In this research project tests to destruction of five composite castellated beams were performed, and relate to previous tests on non-composite castellated beams. Ultimate failure loads of the three shear critical test beams were associated with web-post buckling, comprising double curvature bending. The remaining two flexural test beams …  Read more

This thesis considers channel coding trade-offs in orthogonal CDMA and their effects on capacity and performance. The downlink of the IS-95 cellular CDMA standard is an example of such a system. The channel coding performance of the IS-95 downlink is simulated and the signal to interference ratio at the mobile is evaluated. Alternative channel coding schemes aimed at increasing the number of orthogonal channels or improving the bit error rate are analyzed and their bit error performance is simulated. In orthogonal CDMA, the coding and modulation have to be designed in such a way that users transmit on orthogonal channels. …  Read more

The pollination of greenhouse sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum cv. Superset) by Bombus impatiens Cr. was investigated in Ste. Scholastique, Quebec for two periods, 27 June-15 July and 4-18 August, 1995 to determine the pollination effectiveness of B. impatiens compared to a mechanical method (vibration wand) and natural greenhouse ventilation (NGV) and to determine the foraging activity of B. impatiens throughout the pollination period. B. impatiens pollination resulted in a significantly greater number of seeds per fruit and a greater percent marketable fruit, due to a positive quadratic relationship between seed number and fruit weight, than both vibration …  Read more

A two-year field study was carried out in eastern Ontario to investigate the effects of water table management (WTM) on water quality and crop yields. Corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max Merr.) were planted in alternate strips across the three treatments of 50 cm controlled water table (CWT), 75 cm CWT and free drainage (FD). Drainflow volume and nitrate-N concentration of the drainage water were measured. Soil samples were collected and analysed for total N, P, K, available N, soil moisture and organic matter levels. Chlorophyll-meter readings and plant harvest parameters were also measured. Rainfall, soil and air …  Read more

The economic feasibility of lupins in a cropping system as a protein supplement for a representative dairy cattle herd in Southwest Quebec (SWQ) to substitute for soybeans was investigated using a single period linear programming (LP) model. At current prices, lupins were not a profitable base case scenario. The gross margin of the dairy farm was $147,918. This resulted in a total soil loss of 3,504 tonnes (t), 50 percent higher than soil tolerance, T (acceptable level of soil loss) of 14 t ha$ sp-1,$ and produced 541 kg of Nitrogen (N). Sale of corn grain (CG) was 442.3 t, …  Read more

Pseudo vitamin D deficiency rickets (PDDR) appears to be due to a deficit in the mitochondrial cytochrome P450 enzyme, vitamin D 1alpha-hydroxylase (1alpha-OHase). The disease locus has been mapped to chromosome 12, position q14. Using a probe from the 24-hydroxylase cDNA, a kidney cDNA library was screened to identify the 1alpha-OHase cDNA-P19 cells transiently expressing the 1alpha-OHase cDNA were incubated with 25(OH)D3 and assayed for 1alpha,25(OH)2D3. These cells produced a metabolite that co-eluted on HMC with the 1alpha,25(OH)2D 3 standard. The production of authentic 1alpha,25(OH)2D 3 was confirmed using radioreceptor assay and mass spectrometry. The expression of the gene was …  Read more

This thesis will examine the utilization of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) regime by Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite Systems (GMPCS) operators and the requirements that governments must fulfill in order to acquire orbit/spectrum resources from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the purpose of deploying GMPCS. In addition, it will study the administrative obligations to consult and notify the International Satellite Organizations (ISOs) of the proposed LEO-based satellite systems so as to prevent technical incompatibility and economic harm to existing ISO systems. The regulations of three ISOs, namely the International Satellite Organization (INTELSAT), the International Maritime Satellite Organization …  Read more

The present thesis contains research in two related avenues of theoretical physics. We first present supersymmetric low-energy background field solutions of D-brane bound states in type IIA and type IIB theories. We derive new solutions describing two parallel D-branes which have a difference in dimension of two, using a procedure which involves rotations and T-duality transformations. We also present original supersymmetric background field solutions in which the D-branes are at angles to each other. These solutions are distinguished by the presence of an Hermitian metric on the internal compact space, and again, T-duality transformations are used to build more supersymmetric …  Read more

In the numerical solution of nonlinear integral equations, classic finite difference and series methods lead to systems of nonlinear algebraic or transcendental equations which are solved by iterative schemes such as the Newton method. The present work develops a sequential eigenfunction expansion for the numerical solution of certain nonlinear integral equations. The nonlinear term provides constraints for the amplitudes of the eigenfunctions and a subsequent iteration is used to refine these coefficients. A comparative study of the present method with the Broyden method is conducted. It is shown that the expansion procedure provides an early indication about the multiplicity of …  Read more

This dissertation examined the lives and motives of militants in the Parti Quebecois in 1987 and 1988, at the end of a phase of demobilization for this organization in the Quebec independence movement. This study found that most PQ militants were francophone males under 40 years of age, with college degrees. They worked at jobs which would make them part of the intelligentsia, and along with some students, worked in francophone contexts. They often came from political homes, especially "nationalist" ones, and some militants felt hostility towards "les anglais". Most were actively involved in previous voluntary associations, especially activist organizations. …  Read more

There is a perception, held not only by scholars in the field but by many Muslims as well, that Islamic law in Indonesia is strongly colored by "non-Islamic" local custom (adat). Historically, this notion has given rise to a number of movements which have sought to ensure that religious beliefs and practices be restored and brought into harmony with the primary sources of Islam, the Qur'an and Sunnah. One of these movements was led by Ahmad Hassan (1887-1958), acknowledged by many as a great scholar and a tireless advocate of the need for renewal (tajdid) and reform (islah). This study …  Read more

Since glucose is an essential nutrient for normal fetal growth and development, the impact of reduced maternal dietary glucose supply, on amniotic fluid (amf) amino acid composition was investigated. Furthermore, this study investigated whether any resulting changes in the concentrations of amf amino acids could be predictive of fetal growth and metabolic status. Pregnant rat dams were fed isocaloric diets containing graded levels of dietary glucose (0, 12, 24 and 60%) and the amf amino acid content was analysed on gestational days (gd) 18.5 to 21.5. Carbohydrate restriction produced significant increases in the concentrations of amf isoleucine (on gd 21.5), …  Read more

Research conducted with Montreal schizophrenics who frequent alternative groups for the mentally ill was aimed at exploring their strategies of identity reconstitution. Applying Paul Ricoeur's concept of the "narrative identity" and its emphasis on the recollection, interpretation, and narrations of events, the content of schizophrenics' life narratives was analyzed to establish the manner in which identity and experience were fashioned, and what role social and cultural elements played in this process of transformation. The results of this research indicate that schizophrenics who try to position themselves anew frequently tend to reject biomedical meanings and definitions as a privileged frame of …  Read more

The quasi-steady-state ignition temperature was measured for the following metal-sulfur compounds: Cr-S, Mo-S, Mg-S, Mn-S, Si-S, Ti-S and Zn-S. The ignition temperatures for these mixtures ranged from 350$ sp circ$C to 600$ sp circ$C. For a same element (Mn) an increase in particle size of the metal reactant caused an increase in the ignition temperature of the mixture. For the Mn + S system, preliminary estimates using classical thermal explosion theory indicate that an apparently low activation energy reaction is present. Estimates of the activation energy derived from the results of transient ignition experiments involving Mn-S and Cr-S mixtures with …  Read more

The ferrichrome-iron receptor FhuA is located in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. To probe the topological organization of FhuA which enables it to recognize ferrichrome and other ligands, a library of 16 insertion mutations within the fhuA gene was generated. Each mutation spliced a 13-amino acid foreign antigenic determinant (the C3 epitope) at a different position within FhuA. Flow cytometric analysis of strains expressing the chimeric FhuA.C3 proteins indicated that insertion of the foreign sequence was tolerated at 12 of 16 sites: the FhuA.C3 proteins were properly localized in the outer membrane and still conferred sensitivity to FhuA-specific phages. …  Read more